The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II is the second game in the real-time strategy genre by EA, released on March 2, 2006 for both PC and Xbox 360. Unlike its predecessor, the game is set mainly in the northern regions of Middle-earth. Factions include the Elves, Dwarves, Men of the West (a combination of Gondor and Rohan), and the Goblins, along with Mordor and Isengard. The gameplay includes naval battles, larger battalions, and more traditional base building, unlike the first part. The game has a special feature where you can create your own hero. The heros are from six categories, such as wizard, dwarf or servants of Sauron. Also, there are fourteen subcategories, such as hermit, taskmaster and troll. This game has an expansion set called The Rise of the Witch King. It features Angmar as the new faction and has general gameplay improvements.

Contents

Plot

Set in the regions of northern Middle-earth, the game focuses on the events of the War in the North, which are described in the Appendices of The Return of the King.For the sake of gameplay, Electronic Arts added new battles to the story, and introduced original characters to the game, such as Gorkil the Goblin King. Some characters were altered in their appearances, abilities, and roles. In addition, The Hobbit lends several elements to the game, including locations and characters such as the High Pass and mountain giants.

The story is divided into Good and Evil Campaigns. Both campaigns focus on the battles fought by the newly introduced factions: the Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins. Instead of the world-map overview in the previous game, the player goes through nine fixed missions in either easy, medium, or hard difficulty mode. Narrated cut scenes provide plot exposition between missions.

Good campaign

The Good Campaign opens as Glorfindel discovers an impending attack on Rivendell. Thanks to the early warning, Elrond's forces in Rivendell manage to repel the Goblins' attacks. Following the battle, Elrond realizes that the Elves and Dwarves must join forces to defeat sauron. The next battle takes place in the High Pass where you create your own army to fight your way through the high pass. Near the end you will face a kraken or giant octopus-like creature which you kill with archers. This beast is a power you ca use as evil. The next fight takes place witin the Goblin capital of Ettenmoors, where the Goblin fortress is destroyed, and the Goblin King is killed. After their victory, the heroes are informed that the Goblins, on Sauron's command, enlisted the service of a dragon lord, who is laying waste to the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains. The heroes make their way to the Blue Mountains and help the Dwarven army defeat the dragon and his Goblins.
The Grey Havens are attacked by the Corsairs of Umbar, allies of Sauron. The Dwarves eventually decide to come to the aid of the Grey Havens. With the Goblins defeated and all of Eriador pacified, the Dwarven-Elven alliance is tested by Sauron's forces. Mordor's forces besiege Esgaroth and Erebor. However, Elven reinforcements from Mirkwood led by Thranduil save the Dwarves. The heroes of the Dwarven-Elven alliance come together for a final battle in Dol Guldur. The Good forces overcome the defenses and destroy the fortress, eliminating the last threat in the game.

Evil campaign

The Evil Campaign follows an alternate version of the War in the North. Sauron sends the Mouth of Sauron and the Nazgûl to the North in order to lead the Goblin army and launch an assault on the Elven forest of Lothlórien, and another group of Goblins, led by the Goblin King, attack the Grey Havens by land and sea. The Elven port is destroyed, and the march across Eriador begins; Hobbits of the Shire are chosen as the next target. The Goblin King's horde manages to crush the Hobbits, but Wormtongue suddenly appears with a large army of IsengardUruks, and claims the land for his master. The Goblins destroy the well-trained army and kill Wormtongue.
The Goblin King besieges Fornost, where the defenders crumble under the relentless Goblin attacks, and Eriador falls under Goblin control. Sauron launches a concurrent campaign east of the Misty Mountains. The Goblins from Dol Guldur eliminate the Elves and the Ents that guard the Forest Road in Mirkwood. For the final battle against the Good factions in the North, the Goblin horde and Sauron's forces from Mordor converge at Rivendell, and completely destroy the remaining Good forces in the North.